The Licensing Sub-Committee of Redbridge Council met on Tuesday 18 August 2026 to consider an application for a new premises licence for Fireaway Pizza. The meeting's agenda included the procedure for licensing hearings and the specific application for Fireaway Pizza, which had attracted objections from responsible authorities.

Procedure for Licensing Hearings

The committee was scheduled to follow a defined procedure for licensing hearings. This procedure outlines that the Chair would explain the process, followed by a factual summary of the application by a Licensing Authority officer. The committee would then consider the case presented by the applicant, followed by the case from any responsible authority making representations. Finally, summing up would occur before the sub-committee made its decision in private, with official notice to be sent within five working days.

Application for a New Premises Licence: Fireaway Pizza, 331 Ley Street, Ilford, IG1 4AA

The primary item for discussion was an application for a new premises licence for Fireaway Pizza, located at 331 Ley Street, Ilford, IG1 4AA. The application, submitted by Qasim Parvez, director for Fry Away Chicken Ltd, sought to enable the licensable activity of late-night refreshment.

The proposed hours for late-night refreshment were from Monday to Sunday, 23:00 until 03:00 the following day. The premises would be open to the public from Monday to Sunday, 11:00 until 23:00. The applicant described the premises as a takeaway restaurant with seating for approximately 8-10 customers, though this seating area would only be available until 23:00. No alcohol would be sold.

The application included a schedule of proposed conditions aimed at promoting the licensing objectives. However, three objections had been lodged by responsible authorities: the Metropolitan Police Licensing Team, the Council's Licensing Enforcement Team, and the Public Health Team. These objections were based on concerns that granting the licence could negatively impact the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, preventing public nuisance, protecting children from harm, and ensuring public safety.

The premises is situated within the Ilford Town Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ), a designated area where there is a presumption against granting new premises licences due to the potential for cumulative negative impacts from licensed premises.

The report detailed the legal implications, including those under the Human Rights Act 1998, and fairness implications related to equality and diversity. It also outlined the financial implications, stating there were no budgetary issues for the Council arising from the report.

The report recommended that the Licensing Sub-Committee consider several options: granting the application, granting it with additional conditions, granting it in part only, or rejecting the application.

Representations from the Metropolitan Police¹ highlighted concerns about increased loitering, noise, and potential unrest due to the late operating hours, particularly within the Ilford Town CIZ. They argued that the application did not present exceptional circumstances to override the presumption against granting licences in this zone.

The Council's Licensing Enforcement Team² echoed these concerns, focusing on the potential for increased anti-social behaviour, noise, littering, and crime and disorder. They noted that the area is residential, with flats above the commercial properties, and that late-night activity would negatively affect residents. The team also raised concerns about parking for delivery drivers and customers, and the lack of a clear mitigation strategy from the applicant. They suggested revised hours and a comprehensive set of conditions to promote the licensing objectives, including prohibiting customer collection services.

The Public Health Principal³ submitted a representation focusing on the health implications of late-night fast food consumption. They highlighted the high prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases in the Ilford Town area, particularly among children and young people. The representation argued that extending the hours for late-night refreshment would exacerbate these public health risks. They noted that fast food is typically high in calories, saturated fat, sugar, and salt, and that regular consumption, especially at late hours, contributes to weight gain, metabolic issues, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. The representation specifically supported the concerns raised by other responsible authorities regarding public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.